One of the most common type of picture hook hangers is the nail-in picture hook hanger which comprises a bent strip of stiff metal. The metal strip is bent to form a hook portion, upon which the picture (mirror, clock, decorative trivets, etc.) is hung; and the strip is also bent to form an apertured angled guide, through which the nail is inserted and hammered in, at a downwardly extending angle for support (some hangers utilize sharp needle-like brads or nails which can be manually pushed into a wall).
A problem with many of the variations of this type of picture hook hanger, as exemplified by the various designs disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,137,837; 3,226,065; 3,982,719; and 5,069,412; is that hammering-in of the supporting nail fixes the picture hook solidly against the wall. Thus, if the picture hook hanger is slightly askew, it remains in the skewed position, unless the nail is loosened by the weight of a picture or other item being hung thereon. However, a loosened nail (or an incompletely hammered-in nail) becomes very susceptible to complete unintended removal from the wall, particularly from walls made of crumbly gypsum panelling or plaster. Picture hook hangers of the type exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,129, which are floatingly supported by pre-installed nails, have the disadvantage of being readily dislodged from the nail support.